GB1105383A - Improvements in lubricating apparatus and systems - Google Patents

Abstract

1,105,383. Lubricating; valves. TECALEMIT (ENGINEERING) Ltd. 9 March, 1966 [10 March, 1965], No. 10155/65. Headings F2A and F2V. A lubricating apparatus for a vehicle having a tachometer drive, supplies lubricant to a number of points on the vehicle in dependence on the distance travelled by the vehicle and comprises a lubricant pump, which is operated by pulses of air of increased or reduced pressure relatively to atmospheric pressure; and a control-unit which includes an air-valve or valves, is mounted on the vehicle and is driven by the tachometer-drive, the control-unit being connected between a source of air under increased or reduced pressure and the pump, so that operation of the control-unit by the tachometerdrive causes operation of the pump. The lubricator 1 is connected to the air-control unit 6 by an air-line 5 operates in response to periodic changes in air pressure which are produced by the air-control unit, and is connected to a lubricant reservoir (not shown) by an inlet 3 and by a return vent 4. The aircontrol unit 6 is connected to a cylinder 12 of compressed-air, through a pipe 7, an air safety valve 8, a pipe 9 and a connection 10. The cylinder 12 is supplied with compressedair from an air compressor, via a pipe 13, and from a brake system, through a pipe 14 which is provided with a pressure gauge 15. The air safety valve 8 ensures that the lubrication system is only supplied with air to operate it when the air pressure in the cylinder 12 exceeds a minimum value which can be pre-set. The safety valve 8 comprises a body 16, Fig. 2, having an air inlet 17 which connects to the cylinder 12 through the pipe 9, and having an outlet 18 which connects to the control unit 6. The outlet 18 is in a plug 19 which forms a valve seat 20, the latter being engaged by a stem 21 of a poppet valve 22. Air from the cylinder 12, Fig. 1, passes through the inlet 17, Fig. 2, to a space 23 but cannot pass through the outlet 18 when the valve is closed. The upper end of the stem 21 is received by a carrier 24 which is in a recess of the body 16. An annular diaphragm 25 of flexible, oil-resistant material is located between the carrier 24 and the recess of the body 1,6; the outer rim of the diaphragm being clamped between a step 26 and a ring 27 and the inner edge of the diaphragm is clamped to the carrier 24 by means of a plug 28 and a washer 29. The stem 21 passes slidably through the plug 28 and is engaged by an over-ride spring 30 positioned in the carrier 24. The space below the diaphragm 25 is .connected by a passage 31 to the air inlet 17 and to the space 23. The valve 8 is also provided with a cover 32 contains a compression-spring 33 which acts on the carrier 24 and tends to held the valve closed Adjustment to the valve 8 is. made by means of a screw 35 which varies the compression of the spring 33. The air control unit 6, Fig. 1, converts the movement of the vehicle into timed air pulses which are used to operate the lubricator 1; is driven by the speedometer drive cable 40, through a connection 41, Fig. 3, and by gear-box drive-cable 43, through a connection 42. The control unit 6 comprises a body 45 of synthetic plastics material, for example, which has parts 48 and 49; the part 49 being formed with a pair of parallel bores which receive inlet and exhaust tappets 51 and 52 respectively. The tappets 51, 52 engage a spindle cam 53 which is driven through gearing 54 and gears 56 57, driven by the connections 42 and 41 respectively. The speed of the cam 53 is thus reduced and is proportional to the speed of the vehicle. The bores in which the tappets 51, 52 operate, contain poppet-valves 61, 62 which, are held pressed against, the tappets by means of compression springs 63; 64. The other end's of the springs 63, 64 engage inlet and exhaust couplings 65, 66 respectively which are connected respectively to''the air safety valve ''8 and to the lubricator 1 - An air-passage 67 is provided between the valves. 61, 62' and the latter connects ,to. atmosphere; through aport 68. The lubricator [1 comprises a number of oil pumps 75,. Figs. 4 and 5, which are connected to the different lubricating points; 'The. pumps 75 are carried by' a wall 74 of a casing 71 and are operated by cams 76 which are driven by a shaft 77. Each pump 75 comprises a cylinder 78, which:, through the. wall 74 of the casing, and a main piston 79 having a mushroom head 80 which engages its operating cam 76 and is forced,thereto by a spring 81. Lubricant from the inlet 3 enters the pump 75 through a port 82 and is delivered by the piston 79, past a non-return valve 83, to an outlet 84 in a plug 85, the latter being screwed into the cylinder 78 Each outlet 84 is conneeted by the piping 2 to one of the points to be lubricated. ` Each non-return valve 83 is closed by a spring 86. Each. cylinder has a n secondary piston 87 located between the main piston 79 and the, non,-return valve 83 so as to control the quantity of lubricant supplied to lubrication point. The length of. the secondary piston 87, which is a loose fit in the cylinder so that lubricant is forced past it during the pumping stroke, determines the volume of the space between the pistons into which lubricant is drawn during induction and thus determines the volume of oil which is pumped at each stroke. A ratchet-wheel 90 is mounted on the shaft 77 and is engaged by a pawl 91 which is mounted on a crank 92 connetted to a piston-rod 93 of an air cylinder 94 pivotally mounted at 95 on a plate 73 of the lubricator 1. A piston 96, having sealing rings 97 is mounted on the inner end of the pistonrod 93 and is urged by a spring 9.8 in the cylinder 94. The pulses. of air from the air control unit 6 operate the piston 96 against the spring 98 so that each pulse turns the ratchet wheel 90 and thus the operating cams 76 of the pumps 75 through a predetermined angle. Other forms of air control units and lubricant pumps are described in the Specification.